The Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) Regulations 1987

Construction of hoist

9.—(1) The working load of a hoist shall be the sum of the weight of the hoist ladder and falls in the fully lowered condition and the maximum number of persons which the hoist is designed to carry, the weight of each person being taken as 150 kg. The maximum complement a hoist is permitted to carry shall be clearly and permanently marked on the hoist.

(2) Every hoist shall be of such construction that, when operating under the working load determined in accordance with paragraph (1) above, each component shall have an adequate factor of safety having regard to the material used, the method of construction and the nature of its duty.

(3) In selecting the materials of construction, regard shall be paid to the conditions under which the hoist will be required to operate.

(4) The hoist shall consist of the following main parts—

(a) a mechanically powered winch;

(b) two separate falls;

(c) a ladder consisting of two parts—

(i) a rigid upper part for the transportation of any person upwards or downwards;

(ii) a flexible lower part, consisting of a short length of pilot ladder, which enables any person to climb from the pilot launch or tender to the rigid upper part of the ladder and vice versa.

Mechanically powered winch

(5) (a) The source of power for the winches shall be electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic. In the case of a pneumatic system, an exclusive air supply shall be provided with adequate arrangements to control its quality. In the case of ships engaged in the carriage of flammable cargoes, the source of power shall not be such as to cause a hazard to the ship. All systems shall be capable of efficient operation under the conditions of vibration, humidity and range of temperature likely to be experienced in the ship in which they are installed.

(b) The winch shall include a brake or other equally effective arrangement (such as a properly constructed worm drive) which is capable of supporting the working load in the event of power failure. The brake or other arrangement shall be capable of supporting the working load when the hand gear is in use.

(c) Efficient hand gear shall be provided to lower or recover, at a reasonable speed, the person carried in the event of power failure.

(d) Any crank handle provided for manual operation shall, when engaged, be so arranged that the power supply is automatically cut off.

(e) Hoists shall be fitted with automatic safety devices in order to cut off the power supply when the ladder comes against any stop so as to avoid overstressing the falls or any other part of the hoist: provided that in the case of hoists operated by pneumatic power, the safety cut-out device may be omitted if the maximum torque available from the air motor cannot result in overstressing of the falls or other parts of the hoist.

(f) All hoist controls shall incorporate an emergency stop to cut off the power supply and an emergency stop switch within easy reach of the person carried by means of which he may cut off the power.

(g) The winch controls shall be clearly and durably marked to indicate “Hoist”, “Stop” and “Lower”. The manner in which these controls operate shall correspond to the manner in which the hoist operates and shall automatically return to the “Stop” position when released.

(h) Efficient arrangements shall be provided to ensure that the falls wind evenly on to the winch-drums.

(i) The hoist shall be securely attached to the structure of the ship. Attachment shall not be solely by means of the ship’s side rails. Proper and strong attachment points shall be provided for the hoists of the portable type on each side of the ship.

(j) The winch shall be capable of hoisting or lowering the safe working load (determined in accordance with regulation 9(1)) at a speed of between 15 and 30 metres per minute.

(k) There shall be safe means of access between the ladder at its upper limit and the deck and vice versa; such access shall be gained directly by a platform securely guarded by handrails.

(l) An electrical appliance associated with the ladder section of the hoist shall not be operated at a voltage exceeding 25 volts.

Falls

(6) (a) The falls shall be made of flexible steel wire rope of adequate strength and resistant to corrosion in a salt-laden atmosphere.

(b) The falls shall be securely attached to winch-drums and the ladder. These attachments shall be capable of withstanding a proof load of not less than 2.2. times the load on such attachments. The falls shall be maintained at a sufficient relative distance from one another, so as to reduce the possibility of the ladder becoming twisted.

(c) The falls shall be of sufficient length to allow for all conditions of freeboard likely to be encountered in service and to retain at least three turns on the winch-drums with the hoist in its lowest position.

Ladder section

(7) (a) The rigid part shall be not less than 2.50 metres in length and be equipped in such a way that the person carried can maintain a safe position whilst being hoisted or lowered. Such part shall be provided with—

(i) a sufficient number of steps complying with sub-paragraph (c) of this paragraph to provide a safe and easy access to and from the platform referred to in paragraph (5)(k) of this regulation;

(ii) safe handholds capable of being used under all conditions including extremes of temperature, together with non-slip steps;

(iii) a spreader at the lower end of not less 1.80 metres. The ends of the spreader shall be provided with rollers which shall roll freely on the ship’s side during the whole operation of embarking or disembarking;

(iv) an effective guard ring, suitably padded, so positioned as to provide physical support for the person carried without hampering movement;

(v) adequate means for communication between the person carried and the operator and/or the responsible officer who supervises the embarkation or disembarkation of the person carried;

(vi) an emergency stop switch within easy reach of the person carried by means of which he may cut off the power.

(b) Below the rigid part mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) above, a section of flexible ladder comprising eight steps shall be provided, constructed in accordance with the following requirements—

• The steps of the flexible ladder shall—

  (i)

  be made of ash, oak, elm or teak or other hardwood or other material of equivalent strength, stiffness and durability. The four lowest steps may be of rubber or other material of equivalent strength, stiffness and durability;

  (ii)

  be made in one piece, and in the case of wooden steps, free of knots;

  (iii)

  have an efficient non-slip surface;

  (iv)

  be not less than 480 millimetres long, 115 millimetres wide, and 25 millimetres in depth, excluding any non-slip device or grooving;

  (v)

  be equally spaced not less than 300 millimetres nor more than 380 millimetres apart; and

  (vi)

  be secured in such a manner that each will remain horizontal;

• Provided that—

  (aa)

  No flexible ladder section shall have more than two replacement steps which are secured in position by a method different from that used in the original construction of the flexible ladder section and any steps so secured shall be replaced as soon as reasonably practicable by steps secured in position by the method used in the original construction of the flexible ladder. When any replacement step is secured to the side ropes of the ladder by means of grooves in the sides of the step, such grooves shall be in the longer sides of the step; and

  (bb)

  the side ropes of the flexible ladder section shall consist of two manila ropes not less than 18 millimetres in diameter on each side. Each rope shall be left uncovered by any other material and shall be continuous with no joins below the top step.

(c) The steps of the flexible ladder section and those of the rigid ladder section shall be in the same vertical line, of the same width, spaced vertically equidistant and placed as close as practicable to the ship’s side. The handholds of both parts of the ladder section shall be aligned as closely as possible.

(d) If belting is fitted in the way of the hoist position, such belting shall be cut back sufficiently to allow the hoist to be placed as close as practicable to the ship’s side.

Operation of the hoist

(8) (a) The master shall ensure that rigging and testing of the hoist pursuant to paragraph (9) below and the embarkation and disembarkation of any person is supervised by a responsible officer of the ship. Any person engaged in rigging and operating the hoist shall be instructed in the rigging and operating procedures to be adopted and the equipment shall be tested prior to the embarkation or disembarkation of any person.

(b) The master shall ensure that lighting is provided so that the hoist overside, its controls and the position where the person carried embarks or disembarks on the ship is adequately lit; and that the equipment specified in regulation 7(6)(ii), (iii), and (iv) is kept at hand ready for use if required.

(c) The master shall ensure that a pilot ladder complying with the provisions of regulation 7 is rigged adjacent to the hoist and available for immediate use so that access to it is available from the hoist during any point of its travel; and that the pilot ladder is capable of reaching the sea level from its own point of access to the ship.

(d) The position on the ship’s side where the hoist will be lowered shall be indicated.

(e) An adequately protected stowage position shall be provided for the hoist. In very cold weather the master shall ensure that the hoist is rigged in adequate time having regard to the danger of ice formation.

Testing

(9) (a) Every new hoist shall be subjected to an overload test of 2.2 times the working load. During this test the load shall be lowered a distance of not less than 5 metres and the brake applied to stop the hoist drum. Where a winch is not fitted with a brake, and depends upon an equally effective arrangement as prescribed in regulation 9(5)(b) to support the load in the event of power failure, the load shall be lowered at the maximum permitted lowering speed and a power failure shall be simulated to show that the hoist will stop and support the load.

(b) An operating test of 10 per cent overload shall be carried out after installation on board the ship.

(c) Subsequent examinations of the hoists under working conditions shall be made at each annual or intermediate and renewal survey for the vessel’s safety equipment certificate.

(d) (i) The master shall ensure that, in addition to the testing required in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this paragraph, regular test rigging and inspection, including a load test to at least 150 kg, shall be carried out by designated ship’s personnel at intervals of not more than six months.

(ii) A record to that effect shall be made by the master in the ship’s official logbook.

(iii) In ships not required to keep an official logbook, a record to that effect shall be made by the master or person responsible for maintaining such records and be retained on board for a period of not less than 12 months.